The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #60536

Joseph Petraglia, PhD, Behavior Change Team, Global AIDS Program, EXPK 18, MS E-04, Atlanta, GA 30341, 404-498-2735, jpetraglia@cdc.gov, Christine Galavotti, PhD, Global AIDS Program/Division of Reproductive Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, NE Mailstop K34, Atlanta, GA 30341, Anne Sebert, MPH, Axiom Resource Management, 656 Albion Street, Denver, CO 80220, Jennifer M. Ballentine, MPH, Division of Reproductive Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, NE, Mailstop K-34, Atlanta, GA 30341, and Katina A. Pappas-DeLuca, MA, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Reproductive Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway NE, Mailstop K-34, Atlanta, GA 30341-3717.

Overview: This presentation describes and demonstrates a set of tools called Pathways to Change that enable creative writers to integrate behavior change research and theory into entertainment-education vehicles such as serial dramas.

The Challenge: Since its inception, behavioral scientists with the CDC’s MARCH (Modeling and Reinforcement to Combat HIV/AIDS) Project have sought tools to assist scriptwriters in developing dramas that model behavior change in a manner consistent with both local research on HIV/AIDS as well as behavior change theory. An extensive search for such tools produced few results.

A Response: The team charged with implementing MARCH projects in Botswana, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe has produced a set of tools entitled Pathways to Change consisting of a Game, a Chart, and a Journal. By playing the Game, scriptwriters acquire experience identifying barriers and facilitators relevant to characters attempting specific behavioral changes. They then use this information to construct a storyline that draws on their ability to use the data creatively. Using the storylines resulting from use of the Game, the Chart introduces additional behavior change concepts (e.g., “stages of change”) and guides scriptwriters in applying these to the storylines. Finally, scriptwriters use the Journal to ensure that behavior change is “externalized” and articulated in the scripts and creates a record of the serial drama for monitoring and evaluation purposes.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:
• Assess the difficulties of embedding theory and research in a creative writing process.
• Apply Pathways tools to other forms of behavior change communication.

Keywords: International Reproductive Health, Media

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.